Thado Minbya (Burmese: သတိုးမင်းဖျား, pronounced [ðədó mɪ́ɰ̃bjá]; also spelt as Thadominbya; 7 December 1345 – c. 3 September 1367) was the founder of the Kingdom of Ava.
In his three plus years of reign (1364–67), the king laid the foundation for the reunification of Central Burma, which had been split into Pinya and Sagaing kingdoms since 1315.
The young king restored order in central Burma, and tried to stamp out corrupt Buddhist clergy.
[2][3] Prince Rahula grew up in Sagaing during the small kingdoms period of Myanmar (Burma).
[6][7] In response, King Thihapate appointed his 15-year-old stepson governor of Tagaung, the northernmost territory, 200 km north of Sagaing, with the title of Thado Minbya.
The king reasoned that it was a suitable appointment as Thado Minbya's father had been the hereditary ruler of the garrison town.
It was part of the agreement between the Maw sawbwa Tho-Chi-Bwa and King Narathu of Pinya to jointly dismember Sagaing.
Thado Minbya led the defense of Tagaung but due to a great disparity in manpower as well as cavalry and elephants, the fort fell.
[note 5] Thado Minbya was a mere one of the several "kings" who had declared themselves independent in the wake of the devastating invasion.
Indeed, his first priority was to defend his realm as the threat of annual dry-season raids from the north still loomed.
In the next six months, he feverishly built a new citadel at a more strategic location at the confluence of the Irrawaddy and the Myitnge.
[11] On 26 February 1365,[note 7] the king proclaimed the foundation of the city of Ava (Inwa), as the capital of the successor state of Pinya and Sagaing Kingdoms.
[note 8] Thado Minbya would spend the rest of his reign trying to consolidate all of Central Burma under his rule.
In early 1365, his realm was still largely in the north, and controlled little south of Ava beyond the Kyaukse region.
[13]) However, he did have some advantages: he controlled Kyaukse and Mu regions, two of the three main granaries of Upper Burma; and he had the support of key experienced leaders like Gov.
His target was Sagu, capital of Minbu District, the third key granary of Upper Burma.
He finally had to retreat as he received news that a Toungoo army led by Baya Kyawthu of Nganwegon was raiding the Kyaukse region.
[15][note 9] When the army finally took the town, he killed Baya Kyawthu himself, and ate a meal on the corpse's chest—an act that horrified even his most seasoned staff.
[note 10] By the time Thado Minbya came to power, a large percentage of the Buddhist clergy had become corrupt, and the new king was determined to stamp it out.
His "most beautiful" queen Saw Omma nearly succeeded in seizing the throne with Nga Nu, commander of the Inner Household Guards.
[21] Swa, a prince of both Myinsaing and Pagan heritage, accepted the offer, and became king on 5 September 1367.